UK, US, France, 11 other nations condemn Iranian intelligence threats
'We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty,' the countries said in a joint statement.
They said such actions were increasingly carried out in collaboration with international criminal networks.
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Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Macron slams ‘abject cruelty' of Hamas hostage video
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that Hamas showed 'inhumanity without bounds' by releasing videos of two emaciated Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group in Gaza. Hamas and its Islamic Jihad ally have recently released three clips showing captives Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, who were seized during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war. 'Abject cruelty, inhumanity without bounds: this is what Hamas represents,' said the French head of state of the 'unbearable images.' 'The absolute priority for France is the immediate release of all the hostages,' he added on X. In the footage shared by the Palestinian groups, 21-year-old Braslavski, a German-Israeli, and 24-year-old David both appear weak and malnourished. The footage of David showed him digging what he said in the staged video was his own grave, triggering particular outrage. Macron, who has said France will recognize a Palestinian state in September, promised to 'work without respite' for 'the re-establishment without delay of a ceasefire, and to allow the mass delivery of humanitarian aid, still blocked at the gates of Gaza.' But he also argued that Hamas must have no part ruling coastal strip once the war ends. 'We must have the total demilitarization of Hamas, its complete exclusion from any form of governance and the recognition of Israel by the state of Palestine,' he said. Besides Macron, the European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also condemned the videos as showing Hamas' 'barbarity,' insisting the militants disarm and release the dozens of hostages it still keeps in captivity. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha added his voice to the outrage, insisting that 'Hamas' inhuman treatment of the Israeli hostages deserves a very strong condemnation.' 'People in Gaza should not remain suffering because of Hamas' heinous crimes. It must lay down its arms and release all hostages immediately,' Sybiha added on X. Braslavski and David are among 49 hostages taken during Hamas' 2023 attack still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Most of the 251 hostages seized in the attack have been released, some in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody. Hamas' 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,430 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers those figures to be reliable.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Summit on two-state solution rekindles hopes of peace
As international momentum in support of the rights of the Palestinian people continues to grow, the holding of a summit on a two-state solution at the UN headquarters in New York — co-chaired by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and France — marked a decisive moment in the political trajectory of a cause deeply rooted in global conscience. This conference, attended by a majority of countries, as well as international and regional organizations, was not just another diplomatic event; it was a genuine symbol of hope for a fair and comprehensive political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conference brought renewed focus to the fact that the Palestinian issue remains the most pressing challenge facing the international community, and that the time for concrete action has come. Although calls for a two-state solution are not new, their adoption by such a broad international consensus — and at this particular moment — has given them unprecedented political and moral weight. The summit achieved widespread success and stood out as a powerful global referendum, with numerous countries announcing their intention to officially recognize the state of Palestine during the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly. These countries also expressed full support for the conference's outcomes and for the peace efforts led by Saudi Arabia and France, within the framework of an international initiative that reflects growing awareness of the importance of justice as a cornerstone for peace and stability. The pivotal role played by the Kingdom and France in convening the conference and rallying international efforts around a clear peace initiative based on UN resolutions cannot be overstated. Their commitment went beyond diplomacy; it embodied a moral and political stance that affirmed the dedication of both Riyadh and Paris to supporting the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and ending their prolonged suffering — an approach aligned with that of most of the world's nations advocating for a just and lasting peace. One of the most significant outcomes of the conference was the growing international consensus on the urgent need to end the suffering of Palestinian civilians, especially in Gaza. All participants unanimously called for an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of the humanitarian blockade, and an end to repeated incursions in the West Bank. Speeches delivered during the conference affirmed that global peace and stability cannot be achieved without justice for Palestinians and the fulfillment of their legitimate aspiration for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Ushering the Middle East into an era of development and stability has become an urgent necessity Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama The conference sent powerful messages of hope, fueled by strong political and humanitarian will. Peace, once seen as distant, now seems closer than ever — provided the international community displays firm and united resolve to end the war on Gaza and put a stop to occupation and settlement policies. This international movement was widely welcomed, particularly by the Republic of Djibouti, which actively participated in the summit's proceedings, reaffirming its principled position in support of the Palestinian people's legitimate rights and its full backing of all efforts that promote a just and comprehensive peace in the region and the world. In the past, some Arabs had promised to throw Israel into the sea — empty and unrealistic slogans. Meanwhile, Israel, despite decades of occupation and brutal warfare against the Palestinians, has never succeeded in extinguishing their right or legitimate hope to live freely on their own land. Today, ushering the Middle East into an era of development and stability has become an urgent necessity, especially amid the sweeping economic transformations led by Saudi Arabia through its Vision 2030 under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This ambitious vision aims to not only ensure prosperity for the Saudi people, but also to serve as a regional engine of growth, with major cross-border and transcontinental investment projects that will benefit the global economy as a whole. The human conscience now stands at a critical crossroads: either the triumph of peace, justice, stability, and development through the implementation of a two-state solution and the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its broader implications, or a dangerous regression that traps the region and the world in a spiral of violence, extremism, and instability, with dire consequences for both regional and international security. • Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama is Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. X: @dya_bamakhrama
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
‘Bandits' kidnap more than 50 people in northwest Nigeria: Security source
Gunmen kidnapped more than 50 people in northwest Nigeria in a mass abduction, according to a private conflict monitoring report created for the United Nations and seen by AFP on Sunday. 'Armed bandits' targeted the village of Sabon Garin Damri in Zamfara state Friday, the report said, the latest attack in a region where residents in rural hinterlands have long suffered from gangs who kidnap for ransom, loot villages and demand taxes. The report said this was the first 'mass capture' incident in the Bakura local government area this year, 'the recent trend of mass captures in Zamfara has been concerning,' noting 'a shift in bandit strategy toward more large-scale attacks in northern Zamfara.' A Zamfara police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Nigeria's 'banditry' crisis originated in conflict over land and water rights between herders and farmers but has morphed into organized crime, with gangs preying on rural communities that have long had little or no government presence. The conflict is worsening a malnutrition crisis in the northwest as attacks drive people away from their farms, in a situation that has been complicated by climate change and western aid cuts. Last month, bandits in Zamfara killed 33 people they had kidnapped in February despite receiving a $33,700 ransom, while three babies died in captivity, officials and residents told AFP. Bandit-extremist cooperation Since 2011, as arms trafficking increased and the wider Sahel fell into turmoil, organized armed gangs formed in northwest Nigeria, with cattle rustling and kidnapping becoming huge moneymakers in the largely impoverished countryside. Groups also levy taxes on farmers and artisanal miners. Violence has spread in recent years from the northwest into north-central Nigeria. Two weeks ago, Nigerian troops killed at least 95 members of an armed gang in a shootout and airstrikes in the northwest state of Niger. But the military is overstretched. While improved cooperation between the army and air force has aided the fight, analysts say, airstrikes have also killed hundreds of civilians over the years. Bandits, who are primarily motivated by money, have also increased their cooperation with Nigeria's extremist groups, who are waging a separate, 16-year-old armed insurrection in the northeast. The recent emergence of the Lakurawa group in the northwest has worsened violence in the region. Governments of affected states have been forced to recruit anti-extremist militias fighting the militants in the northeast to assist in countering the bandits.
